Garden tractor



g 1940- I F. v. DONALD 2,211,260

GARDEN TRACTOR I Filed Aug. 25, 1937 I 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO/R. Forrest \[Donaia A TTORNE Y.

F. V. DONALD GARDEN TRACTOR .Aug. 13', 1940.

s Sheets-Shet 5 Filed Aug. 25. 1937 I ..v rtl 7 I INVENTOR. Forrest YDonqld I I W.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

2,211,260 GARDEN moron.

Forrest V. Donald, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Donald-Boomer Corporation, Milwaukee, Via, a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 25, 1%37, Serial No. 160,741

9 Claims. ((71. 97-48) This invention relates to tractors primarily for includes a main frame comprising spaced side use in cultivating and otherwise working gardens bars ill, rigidly connected at their forward ends and the like.' by a horizontal cross plate ii constituting a seat One object of the present invention is to simplior foundation for an appropriate driving motor fy and otherwise improve the construction, opi2, and rigidly connected at their rear ends, a eration and handling of power driven garden respectively, with the side bars it of a handle cultivators and the like. structure, having ,rearwardly extending handles Another object is to provide improved means H rigidly joined by a cross bar IS. The side bars for steering garden tractors by controlling the iii of the main frame are also Joined and braced I" application of driving power to the traction mechintermediate their ends by a rigid cross member lil anism. l6, welded or otherwise securely fixed thereto.

Another object is to provide an improved The main frame it is supported intermediate course-maintaining mechanism for tractors readits ends by a pair of appropriate traction wheels ily releasable to effect sharp turning movements. ii mounted thereon preferably in a manner about Another object is to provide an improved to be described. Each of the wheels shown, parw course-maintaining mechanism for ground workticularly in Fig. 3, includes a central web or disk ing tractors automatically releasable to permit 3, having a S e gwundrgflpping ead m sharp turning upon withdrawal of the groundremovably attached to the periphery thereof, and working tools from the soil. also having an appropriate supporting hub 2d Another object is to provide an improved carpreferably formed integral therewith. In this so rier for the ground-working tools in a garden instance the hub 2d of each wheel is journalled tractor, the carrier being readily adjustable to upon an eccentric bushing 2i fixed to stub shaft regulate and control the elevation of the tools 22 journalled for support in a bracket 23 or 263 and readily removable, as a unit, to permit ready rigidly fixed to the main frame it.

2 substitution of other tools. The bracket shown at'23 constitutw an upright 25 Another object is to provide improved mountarm having two spaced inwardly directed pads 2E5 ing means for the tools of a cultivating tractor bolted or otherwise fixed to one side bar it of the readily adjustable to regulate the spacing bemain frame, while the other bracket, shown at tween tools. 2t, is fashioned to form a housing 28 for a gear Other more smcific objects and advantages will 2! and is provided with a similar pair of pads 28 30 appear, expressed or implied from the following similarly anchored to the other side bar iii of description of a garden tractor constructed in the main frame. The brackets 23 and 2d are accordance with the present invention. preferably rigidly connected by a tube 29 securely In the accompanying drawings: fixed within appropriate hubs 30 and Si integral Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a garden with the respective brackets and concentrically 35 tractor embodying the present invention. disposed with respect to the gear housing M. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. The brackets 23 and 24, together with the tube Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on 28, connected in the manner described, form a a larger scale, taken substantially along the line rigid yoke structure which gives additional 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2. strength and stiffness to the main frame it. all

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrat- In the tractor shown the wheels ii are seping the method of shifting the driving gears into arately driven from pinions 32, fixed to the oppo= and out of meshing relation in the tractor shown. site ends of a shaft 33 journalled in the tube 29, Fig. 6 is a top plan view, also on a larger scale, and engageable with ring gears 36 fixed to the w of the rear portion of the tractor shown in Figs. respective wheel disks II. The shaft 33 is driven 48 1 nd by the gear 21 fixed thereto and meshing with a Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken sub pinion 38 disposed within an extension 36 of stantially along the line l-I of Fig. 6. the housing 28 and fixed to rotate with a drive a Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating a shaft 31. In this instance the drive shaft 31 60 portion of the tractor shown in Fig. 6. is joumalled for'support in a rigid tube 38 se- Fig. 9 is a sectional view on a still larger scale curely anchored at one end in an extended hub of a tool carrier support. portion 39 formed integral with the extension 38 Fig. 10 is a similar view ofan individual tool of the gear housing. A pulley 40, fixed to the support. projecting end of the shaft 31, is drivable through 5 The garden tractor selected for illustration a belt ll from a pulley 42 on the motor l2, under the control of an appropriate belt tightener which is controllable preferably by means conveniently arranged near the handles l4 of the tractor.

The belt tightener shown comprises a belt engaging roller 43 carried by an arm 44 rockably mounted on the shaft 3'! and having an actuating arm 45 suitably connected to an appropriate control lever 46 rockably mounted, as at 41, upon a bracket 48 projecting rearwardly from the cross bar i5 of the handle structure. In this instance a link 49, pivotally connected at 49' with the lever 46, has one end 58 bent and perforated to receive a pull rod 5| connected to the arm 45, a compression spring 52 being interposed between the bent end 5|] of the link and a nut 53 on the rod 5| to tension and actuate the latter when the lever 46 is swung rearwardly.

The arrangement is such that the roller 43 is actuated to press upon and tension the belt 4| and thereby effect driving of the pulley 40 whenever the lever 46 is forced rearwardly and downwardly, the downward swing of the lever 46 being limited by engagement of the link 49 against the handle cross bar |5, in .which position the pivoted end 49' of the link has swung about the center 41 through a dead-center position and the lever 46 and link normally remains in that position until released.

It is of course understood that when the belt 4| is thus tightened by the roller 43, the-pulley 40 is continuously driven, causing a continuous operation of the shaft 33 and pinions 32 by power transmitted thereto through the shaft 31, pinion 35, and gear 21, so that when both pinions 32 are engaged with the ring gears 34, as indicated in Fig. 3, the traction wheels I! are both driven at equal speeds and the tractor advances alon a straight course.

For steering purposes, provision is made for selectively disconnecting one or-the other of the traction wheels I! from the source of driving power, so that all of the power is transmitted to one of the traction wheels only, thereby causing the tractor to turn from a straight course. In the tractor shown, this is accomplished by the use of separate control levers 54 conveniently arranged on the handle structure and each connected to rock one of the eccentric bushings 2| in a manner to withdraw either of the pinions 32 from its mating ring gear 34.

In this instance, each lever 54 is rockably supported upon a spring tensioned pivot pin 55 in a quadrant 56 fixed to the handle cross bar i5, each Quadrant having a flanged section 51 adapted to releasably hold the coacting'lever 54 in either the full-line or dotted-line position shown in Fig. 1. Each lever 54 is connected to an arm 58 depending from one of the bushings 2| through appropriate operating connections, such as a link 59, lever 60, and link 6|, so that when both levers 54 are in the upright full-line positions shown, both bushings 2| assume the position shown in Fig. 4 and both ring gears 34 engage with their respective pinions 32. However, when either lever 54 is tilted forwardly into the dotted-line position of Fig. 1, its corresponding eccentric 2| is thereby rocked into the position shown in Fig. 5, causing separation of the corresponding ring gear 34 and pinion 32.

The tractor shown is equipped to carry and operate soil-working tools of various types, such as the cultivator blades shown at 62. For this purpose a trailing auxiliary frame is provided which in this instance comprises a steel bar bent upon itself intermediate its ends to provide a washer 61.

tions shown. When thus locked,

relatively narrow, tongue-like, forward section 63, and further bent to provide a somewhat wider rear body section 64. The rear end of the body section 64 is braced by a cross bar 65 rigidly secured thereto.

The forward end of the tongue-like section 83 of the auxiliary frame is supported by the cross member |6 of the main frame II] to which it is clamped by a bolt 66 which extends vertically through the member I6 and a coacting clamp The body section 64 of the auxiliary frame is supported by a pair of laterally spaced caster wheels 58, each mounted to swing about the vertical axis of its supporting shaft 69, journalled in an appropriate bracket 10 clamped to the rear cross bar 65 of the auxiliary frame. The handle structure I3 is flexibly connected to the rear end of the auxiliary frame through a vertical prop-like link attached at its lower end to the cross bar 65 of the auxiliary frame and hooked at its upper end 12 to the cross bar l5 of the handle structure.

Both caster wheels 68 are preferably normally locked against swinging and for that purpose the mounting shaft 69 of each is provided with a control arm 13, fixed to the upper end of the shaft and extending forwardly therefrom. The forward end of each arm 13 is normally engaged between a pair of detents 14 on a transverse lock bar 15 mounted on the body section 64 of the auxiliary frame. In this instance the lock bar 15 is connected to the body 64 through a pair of bolts 16, tensioned by springs Tl which yieldably retain the bar 15 in its lower locking position. The detents 74 are shaped to provide cam surfaces 18 for coaction with the caster control arms 13 in a manner to automatically lift the lock bar 15 and thereby permit swinging movement of the control arms into the locking posithe caster wheels 68 coact with the ground to steady the body frame 64 against side sway.

The several cultivator blades or tools 62 constitute parts of an assembly which is attached to and removable, as a unit, from the body frame 64. The assembly shown will now be described. It comprises a pair of longitudinal mounting bars 19, each bolted in horizontal position to a pair of supporting plates which are bolted to the frame 84. Two pairs of rearwardly inclined parallel links 8| and 82, respectively suspended from integral cross shafts 83 rockable in the bars 18, carry outwardly extended horizontal arms 84 and 85 at their lower ends. The arms 84 support the rear ends of a pair of horizontal, diagonal, tool-carrier bars 86 through appropriate hangers 8'1, such as shown in detail in Fig. 9, the forward ends of the bars 86 being similarly supported by the arms 85.

Each of the hangers is in the form of a sleeve 81 loosely mounted on one of the arms 84 or 85 and confined between adjustable collars 88 releasably fixed to the arm by set screws 88. Each sleeve carries a depending integral pin 88 releasably clamped to the adjacent tool-carrier bar 86 by an appropriate clamp 9|. In this instance the clamp 9| is U-shaped to embrace the bar 88 and is provided with tapered or ovate openings 92 through which the pin 98 extends and by which the pin 98 is securely gripped under the clamping pressure of a screw 93 carried by the clamp and arranged to force the bar 86 against the pin 98. Appropriate means, such as a cotter pin 84 and washer 95 on each pin 8|, prevents 75 1 plane.

* a duplicate of the clamp Just described. In this instance the clamp 9| is arranged to securely clamp the upstanding stem of a tool 82 against the bar 88 with the stem 88 securely gripped by the ovate openings 92 in the clamp (Fig. 10).

From the foregoing it will be noted that each of the plurality of tools 82 carried by either of the bars 88 may beadjustably fixed at any desired point along the bar, and that the angular setting of each bar 88 may be readily adjusted by adjustment of either of the supporting sleeves 81 lengthwise of its supporting arm 8i or 82, so that the spacing and spread of the tools may be readily adjusted as conditions may require.

The entire gang of tools 82 may be readily raised or lowered at will by appropriate mechanism,

such for instance as will now be described. In

this instance, each arm 84 is connected to the adjacent arm 85 through a horizontal link 81, the links 81 being parallel to the upper mounting bars It and functioning to maintain the depending inclined links 8! and 82 substantially parallel and to maintain the points of the several tools 82 substantially in a common horizontal The elevation of the tools 82 is regulated and controlled by a supporting link 98, bolted or otherwise releasably connected to one of the horizontal links 97, and supported by one arm 99 of an actuating lever i0. The lever N10 is shown rockably supported at till upon an upstanding bracket E02 rigidly fixed to the body frame 84. A manually controlled pawl 603 on the lever H coacts with a toothed quadrant 80% on the bracket 32 to releasably sustain the lever 800 in any of its several positions of adjustment.

The arrangement is such that by movement of the lever I00 the several tools 82 may be raised or lowered, at will, through an are determined by the inclined links 8! and 82, the common plane of the tips of the tools remaining substantiallyhorizontal and their stems 98 remaining substantially vertical in all positions of the tools.

Provision is preferably made for releasing the casters 88 so as to permit them to Swing freely and thus to follow freely in executing short or abrupt turning movements of the tractor, and for rending such release automatic whenever the tools 82 are elevated clear of the ground.-' Mechanism for this purpose is illustrated particularly in Figs. 6, "I, and 8. It includes two thrust members I05 which extend downwardly into the range of movement of ,the lower ends of the links 8L. The arrangement is such that, as the links 8| swing upwardly to raise the tools 82 from the ground,'the lower ends of those links. strike the members i 05 and thereby lift the lock bar 78, with its detents 14, clear of the caster control arms 18, so as to free the arms 18 and thus permit the casters 88 to swing freely.

.82 engaging the soil to a depth dependent upon the adjusted position of the leverv I00. While thus traveling, the tractor may be swerved toward the right or left by forcing the handles it to the left or right, the connections between the auxiliary frame 84 and the main frame It, though still, being sufficiently yieldable to effect such steering movements.

' To effect a sharp turn to the right or left, the handle I00 is first depressed to elevate the blades 83 from the soil and to also elevate the lock bar 75 to release the caster wheels 88 in the manner above described, whereupon one or the other of turn may be made toward the left under the power applied to the right hand traction wheel.

Various changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a garden tractor having a frame, and a motor carried thereby, the combination of a pair of traction devices at opposite sides of said frame, a pair of gears each connected to drive one of said devices, a pair of pinions driven from said motor, each pinion being arranged to coact with one of said gears, and means moveable to separately disengage either of said pinions from its coacting gear. I

2. In a tractor the combination of a frame, a pair of traction devices at opposite sides of said frame, a separate driving gear for each of said devices, a pair of power driven pinions each arranged to coact with one of said gears, and means including separately movable eccentrics each operable 'to effect engagement or disengagement between one of said pinions and its coacting gear.

3. In a tractor the combination of a frame, a pair of traction wheels at opposite sides of said frame, a driving gear carried by each of said wheels, a pair of power driven pinions carried by said frame, each of said pinions being arranged to coact with one of said gears, and a separate eccentric'mounting for each of said wheels independently adjustable to effect engagement or disengagement between either of said pinions and its coacting gear.

'4. In a tractor the combination of a frame, a power driven shaft extending transversely of said frame, pinions fixed to the opposite ends of said shaft, a pair of eccentrics mounted at opposite sides of said frame, a pair of traction wheels each journalled on one of said eccentrics, and a gear on each of said wheels for coaction with one of said pinions, said eccentrics being independently rockable to effect engagement or disengagement between either of said pinions and its coacting gear. 4

5. In a tractor the combination of a frame having a rearwardly extending handle structure, a pair of laterally spaced traction wheels supof said frame, said mechanism including caster control arms amxed to swing with each caster wheel, power driven means for driving said traction wheels to thereby propel the tractor, locking means for coaction withsaid mechanism to hold .porting the forward end of said frame, caster I wheel mechanism for supporting the rear end Cir lo] dug means including the tractor to its course, said locking means including a transverse bar having detents arranged to receive said caster control arms to thereby hold the same against swinging movement, and means operable to connect said power driven means to one or the other of said traction wheels to turn the tractor from its course, said transverse bar being raisable to release said detents from said caster control arms to thereby facilitate turning movement of the tractor.

(i. In a tractor the combination of a frame, a pair of laterally spaced traction devices supporting one end of said frame, power driven means for driving said devices to thereby propel the tractor, caster wheel mechanism supporting the other end of said frame, said mechanism including caster control arms affixed to swing with each caster wheel, means for locking said mechanism against swinging to thereby hold the tractor to its course, said locking means including a transverse bar having detents arranged to receive said caster control arms to thereby hold the same against swinging move ment, said transverse bar being raisable to release said detents from said caster control arms to thereby permit the tractor to turn from its course, and means operable to connect said driving means to one or it e other of said treetion devices to effect turning movement of the tractor.

T. in a tractor the combination of a frame, a pair of laterally spaced traction devices supporting one end of said frame, power driven means for driving said devices to thereby propel the tractor, caster wheel. mechanism supporting the other end of said frame, s d mechanism including caster control. no a ed to swing with each caster Wheel, 21"" no non-lolly locking said mechanism against swinging to thereby normally hold the tractor to its course,

detents arranged to receive caster contr arms to thereby hold the same against swinging movement, ground-working means carried by said frame, means for elevating and lowering said ground-working means, and means responsive to said last named means for automatically raising said transverse bar upon elevating said ground-working means.

8. In a tractor the combination of a frame, power driven traction means supporting one end of said frame, caster wheel mechanism supporting the other end of said frame including a caster control arm fixed to swing with each caster wheel, a transverse bar having detents normally coacting with each control arm and locking said mechanism against swinging to thereby normally hold the tractor to its course, ground working means carried by said tractor, means including'a plurality of parallel link structures for suspending said ground-working means for said frame, means for rocking said. link structures to thereby raise and lower said ground worklngmeans, said ground working means including a portion acting on said transverse bar to raise said bar upon elevation of said ground working means to thereby release said control arms from said detents.

9. In a tractor the combination of a frame. power driven traction means supporting one end of said frame, mechanism including a caster wheel supporting the other end of said frame, a control arm fixed to swing with said caster wheel, a transverse her having deten'ts adapted to automatically receive and loci: said control arm upon swinging of said arm into a predetermined wheel position, ground working carried by said frame, and means for elevating lowering said ground working means, said ground working means including portion acting on said transverse bar upon elevation of said ground working means to thereby said oer said control arm iromsaid detest 

